Smokeless gunpowder and method of making same.



ed with sutlicientether to make 35 com pound thoroughly.

Patented July 26, 1904;.

-WILLIAM H. SIMPSON, OF PEORIA, ILLINOIS.

I SMOKELESS GUNPOWDER AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME,

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 765,999, dated July 26, 1904.

' Ap lication filed March 23,1904. Serial No. 199,576. (No specimens.)

Be it known that I, \VILLIAM II. Snirsox, a citizen of the United States, residing at Peoria, in the county of Peoria and State of Illinois,

have invented anew and useful Improvement in Smokeless Gunpowder and Method of Producing the Same, of which the following is a specification.

lhe combination of ingredients employed in 1 0 this invention a re such as to materially cheapen the production of smokeless gunpowder and improve the same by increasing its explosive quality and the quickness of its action.

The composition comprising my invention 1 5 consists of the following ingredients combined in the proportions stated, namely: chlorate of potash, thirty-seven parts; yellow prussiate of potash, twenty-lite parts: a saturated solution of liowers of sulfur and ether, eight parts; a

saturated solution of tannic acid and (olumbiau spirits, thirty parts.

The above-named ingredients are mixed to form the compound as follows: lhoroughly mix dry thirty-seven parts of chlorate of potash and t\\'enty-live parts of yellow prussiate of potash, and after the same are thoroughly ,mixedaddsuliicieutwater mixture. Then add thereto eight parts of llowers of sulfur after the same has been treata thoroughlysaturated solution. Then add thirty parts of tannic acid after the same has been treated with sullicient Columbian spirits'to make a thoroughly"saturated solution and mix the The compound after being thus mixed is then forced through a sieve of such mesh as will produce the desired size of grain of powder.. After graining the compound the same may be thoroughly dried,

0 when it is ready for use.

This invention constitt-tesquite an improvement over other forms of gunpowder containing chlorate of potash and yellow prussiate of potash, for the reason that the compound above described willproduce practically no smoke.

MUHOYOI, the addition of the eight parts of flowers of sulfur treated with ether and-thirty parts of tannic acid treated with Columbian spirits, as described, greater proportion of permits the use of a tannic acid, with the to form adough-like l result that a stronger and quicker powder is produced at a great reduction in the cost of manufacture.

\Vhat Iclaim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States, is-- l. The herein-described composition of matter consisting of chlorate of potash, yellow prussiate of potash, flowers of sulfur, ar '1 tannic acid, substantially as desc'ribed.

2. The herein-described eompbsition of matter consisting of the following ingredients, namely, chlorate of potash, thirty-seven parts; yellow prussiate of potash, twenty-tire parts; saturated solution of flowers of sulfur, eight parts, and a saturated solution of tannic acid, thirty parts, substantially as described.

I). The methodof producing smokeless gunpowder, which consists in mixing dry thirtyseven parts of chlorate ot' potash and twentylive parts of yellow prussiate of potash, adding to this mixture suliicient water to form a dough-like mixture, adding to this dough-like mixture eight parts of flowers of sulfur treated with ether to form .a saturated solution, adding to this thirty parts of tannic acid treated with suliicient Columbian spirits to form a saturated solution, thoroughly mixing the compound thus formed and drying the same.

4c. The method of producing smokeless gunpowder, which consists in mixing dry thirtyseven parts of chlorate of potash and twentytive parts of yellow prussiate of potash, adding to this mixture suflicient water to form a dough-like mixture, adding to this dough-like mixture eight parts of flowers of sulfur treated with ether to form a saturated solution, adding to this thirty parts of tannic acid treated with sutiicient (lolumbian spirits to form a saturated solution, thoroughly mixing the compound thus formed, separating the compound'into masses of the desired size to form the grains, and drying the same, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof l have signed my na gle to this specification 1n the presence ot two sf1b. 

